To say getting hit by a truck was painful was to say that the Pacific Ocean was wet.

Thankfully, the moment was brief and when I realised what was going on I was already dead. Well, I can only assume I had died since I was suddenly in a place filled with blurry clouds and ethereal light.

"So, guess this is heaven, huh?" I said to nobody in particular.

"Not exactly," the clouds replied.

I spun around, searching for the source of the voice, but saw no one.

"Down here!" replied a high-pitched voice.

I turned my head downwards and was surprised to see a pint-sized, squirrel-like critter holding a nut in its tiny paws.

"And who are you?" I asked the squirrel.

"I'm not a squirrel!" the critter protested, giving me a scowl.

It dawned on me that this little guy was not your typical woodland critter. Before I could even voice my thoughts, the creature spoke up.

"Yes, I can read your mind," it huffed with crossed arms. "And it's not polite to judge someone based on their appearance."

"Sorry about that..."

"Ahem, you did it again!" the creature pointed out. "You're still thinking of me as a squirrel."

"Sorry, sorry," I said, waving my hands in surrender. "Could you maybe introduce yourself, so I can think of you as something else?"

"Fine," the squirrel grumbled. "My name is Gunsey, I'm the God of all Worlds, the Alpha and Omega, Supreme Ruler of the Universe."

I did a double-take, but then again, I was in the afterlife, so who was I to question this talking chipmunk's credentials?

"Jeez, mortal, keep up!" Gunsey snapped, snapping me out of my reverie.

"Okay, okay, got it," I replied, still reeling from the shock of the situation.

"So, is this heaven?" I asked, surveying my surroundings. "It seems rather empty up here."

"Nope, not even close," Gunsey replied. "You're currently in what we gods like to call the Crossway."

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Gods. As in plural. Well, this just got a whole lot more interesting.

"Interesting, go on," I prodded.

"It's a place where souls pass through before they're sent off to their next destination. And no, your next destination isn't heaven. Your soul has been commissioned for another world before you can finally rest in the afterlife," Gunsey explained with a shrug.

"So, what exactly--"

"Sorry, buddy," Gunsey cut me off, glancing over his shoulder at the beams of light that had suddenly split the clouds and created a sundial-like pattern. "I'm running out of time, and I'm not really supposed to be answering too many questions, you know?"

As I watched, strange symbols materialized on the sundial, resembling words from some ancient language. Gunsey's face fell as he studied the symbols.

"Oh, no. This is not good," he muttered. "Looks like you're not the only one who got hit by that truck, my friend. Tough break."

"What do you mean?" I asked, feeling a sense of unease.

"Best of luck, Ryuji," Gunsey said, holding up the nut in a gesture of farewell. "That girl who died with you is, well, let's just say... batshit crazy. But do your best, okay?"

"Wait, what girl? What are you talking about?" I shouted after him, but it was too late. A flash of lightning shot upwards from the cloud I was standing atop, and everything became black.

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Look, I wasn't always a loner. I mean, I was a healthy 17-year-old with decent looks and a decent personality, just a year away from graduating high school. But the whole dating thing? Nah, not for me. It all seemed like too much effort for something that might not even be worth it in the end.

Maybe my parents' divorce when I was in grade school had something to do with it. I mean, statistics show that 50% of marriages end in divorce. And even if you're one of the lucky ones who stay together, there's a good chance you'll end up trapped in an unfulfilling relationship for the sake of the kids.

Anyway, the reason I'm saying all this is because of my current predicament.

"Ryuji, this is your wife. Please take good care of her."

I turned my gaze to the unfamiliar old man who had a sturdy build and long white hair. He looked like one of those Kung Fu masters from those old Hong Kong movies, but that was irrelevant. I was focused on trying to understand what he had just said.

"Excuse me?" I asked the old man, "Who are you?"

"I'm your dad, you fool!"

"Dad...?" I was taken aback.

Even though I hadn't seen my dad in a while, I was pretty sure this wasn't him. That's when it hit me -- I must have been isekai'd into my second life.

As I turned to face my "wife," I couldn't help but be struck by her beauty. Her purple twintails framed her face perfectly, drawing attention to her delicate features. Her captivating violet eyes seemed to sparkle in the light, holding me transfixed. Her porcelain-white skin was so smooth and flawless that it gave her a doll-like appearance. And those curves? Damn. Maybe this new life wasn't going to be so bad after all.

"Hey there," I said, flashing a charming smile. "I'm Ryuji. Nice to meet you."

"Ryuji~"

The girl spoke in a soft, sing-song voice that reminded me of ASMR videos. But for some reason, alarm bells started ringing in my head. Every instinct in my body was telling me to run in the opposite direction. Something was clearly not right.

Her innocent and adorable face transformed into a look of wild ecstasy, one that I never would have expected to see.

"I'm so happy that we can finally be together in this life!"

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AI generated art : Shizu

[https://i.imgur.com/EsGbxuU.png]